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Australia will continue consular assistance: Gillard

TONY EASTLEY: The Prime Minister says Australia will continue to offer full consular support to Mr Assange as his legal team considers what do to next.

America's point man in Australia the US ambassador Jeffrey Bleich has rejected the argument that Mr Assange's extradition could be more easily achieved from Sweden.

He says it's something the US doesn't care about.

Chief political correspondent Sabra Lane:

SABRA LANE: The Prime Minister has previously been critical of Mr Assange, describing him as irresponsible and the website itself as being "the foundation stone of an illegal act".

Last night Ms Gillard was asked to respond to the court ruling.

JULIA GILLARD: Look I understand the court decision has come down. I also understand that Mr Assange has got 14 days for his defence team to study this judgement. We'll keep providing full consular services to Mr Assange.

SABRA LANE: The shadow foreign minister Julie Bishop:

JULIE BISHOP: He deserves and should receive the same level of consular support that any other Australian citizen should expect in these circumstances.

I am deeply concerned by the prejudicial statements that have been made by government ministers in the past about Mr Assange, particularly Attorney-General Roxon said that he had fled from Sweden - a highly prejudicial statement to make in the middle of extradition proceedings.

Likewise the Prime Minister said that Mr Assange had done an illegal act when referring to the publication of the WikeLeaks cables. She has never identified any Australian law that Mr Assange has broken. Nor has she apologised for pre-judging him in that way and making that prejudicial statement.

SABRA LANE: The Attorney-General's office declined to comment this morning, referring AM to the Foreign Minister Bob Carr. He wasn't available for interview.

The Parliamentary Secretary for Foreign Affairs Richard Marles:

RICHARD MARLES: I've heard comments overnight that Australia ought to be doing more and that because of his particular status there is a difference in the way in which we are treating him.

Nothing could be further from the truth. We are completely blind to what has occurred in relation to Julian Assange. All we see is an Australian citizen who is overseas who is caught up in a legal process and we are providing him precisely the same consular support that we would provide to any Australian in those circumstances.

SABRA LANE: Mr Marles spoke to ABC News 24.

Mr Assange has argued if he's sent to Sweden that the US will seek his extradition for prosecution over the WikiLeaks website as it'll be easier to achieve.

The US ambassador Jeffrey Bleich:

JEFFREY BLEICH: It's not something that the US cares about. It's not interested in it, having been involved in it. And frankly if he is in Sweden then there is a less robust extradition relationship than there is between the US and the UK.

So I think it's one of those narratives that has been made up. There is nothing to it.

TONY EASTLEY: The US ambassador Jeffrey Bleich ending that report by Sabra Lane.

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